AIR CONTROL IN PACIFIC

Southland Times, Issue 24650, 23 January 1942, Page 5

AIR CONTROL IN PACIFIC

OFFICIAL VIEW IN AMERICA ALLIED SUPERIORITY IN 30 DAYS (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 21. The Washington correspondent of The New York Tinies says that following the conference of Dr van Mook, Lieuten-ant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies, with Mr Roosevelt the opinion was expressed in high official circles that, if Singapore and the East Indies can hold out for 30 days, the unitied nations will have air superiority over the Japanese in the Southwestern Pacific. Questioned whether he thought officials in Washington appreciated the importance of this area, Dr van Mook replied: “I certainly do. There were some doubts in my mind when I first came here, but now I think very definitely that the Government minds, both in London and in Washington, appreciate the importance of the area.” Mr Hugh Grant, formerly United States Minister to Thailand, interviewed in Toronto by the Canadian Press, today, said: “The Allies are bound to gain control of the air in the Pacific, perhaps within a few weeks, and will bomb Japan into collapse after cutting her long lines of communications.” Emphasizing that these were personal opinions, Mr Grant said he would not be surprised if Singapore fell, but every gain meant that the Japanese were more open to attack. Senator Tom Connally, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told the Press that the fall of Singapore appeared to be inevitable and would have a tremendous effect. He was of opinion that it would be some months before the United States could make its strength felt in the Pacific region. A later message said that the State ‘ Department issued a statement that Senator Connally’s views about Singapore were not the views of the American Government.